Frailty Phenotype and Neuropsychological Test Performance: A Preliminary Analysis

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Neuropsychology
• Cognitive Aging

Background:

• Frailty is prevalent in adults over 65.
• The link between frailty and cognitive impairment requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the association between frailty phenotype and cognitive screening.
• To explore frailty's relationship with specific neuropsychological domains relevant to mild cognitive impairment and dementia.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of ambulatory patients aged 65+.
• Utilized Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations.
• Frailty assessed using Fried et al. criteria.

Main Results:

• Lower MoCA scores correlated with higher frailty levels (r=-0.34, P<.032).
• Greater frailty associated with worse executive control, working memory (r²=0.267, β=-0.517, P<.011), and delayed recognition memory (r²=0.207, β=-0.455, P<.025).

Conclusions:

• A significant correlation exists between frailty and neuropsychological impairment.
• Frailty may serve as an early indicator for mild cognitive impairment and dementia.